Buckle



June 8, 1965 E, FossLER 3,187,397

BUCKLE Filed May 31I 1955 United States Patent() 3,187,397 Y BUCKLE Eugen Fossler, Schwenningen (Neckar Germany, as-

signor toLewa Lederwarenfabrik Grmbl-l., Uhingen, Wrttemberg, Germany, a hrm Filed May 31, 1963, Ser. No. 234,699 2 Claims. (Cl. 24--188) The present invention relates to a fastening device for wrist watch straps, belts and the like, made from leather, solid or woven plastic, textiles or any other suitable material, and is characterized by a novel construction which facilitates the insertion and removal of the end portion of the strap projecting beyond the tongue of the fastener.

According to the invention a guide element is arranged in the frame of the fastener behind the tongue axle under the under side of the strap portion attached to the rear end of the fastener or the device holding this strap portion. This guide element may consist of a plate which is pivoted on the tongue axle of the fastener, is slightly S-shaped in longitudinal section and bent slightly downwards in cross-section, or in a simpler form of construction it may consist of a more or less wide strip mounted between the longitudinal cheeks of the fastener frame near the lower edge thereof.

This guide plate or strip causes the end of the strap projecting beyond the fastener tongue to slide under the rear xed portion of the other end of the strap. It is therefore covered by the rear portion of the strap so that it can no longer hamper movement by catching on the sleeve of clothing and impair the appearance of the strap by premature wear. A channel is formed for the rear end of the strap between the guide plate or strap and the strap holding device above it, which channel, when the strap is drawn tight, is kept free for introducing the point at the front end of the strap. Any hinderance which might be caused by perspiration when introducing the front end of the strap into the fastener and under the rear strap holding device is thus prevented. Furthermore, injury to the skin is also prevented.

The two longitudinal cheeks of the fastener frame are, according to the invention, curved inwards to a depth slightly exceeding the wall thickness of the cheeks in or directly behind the region of the tongue axle.

These inwardly curved portions present the advantage that the longitudinal edges of the strap project therein and can thus easily be gripped forreleasing the slippe under end of the strap and withdrawing it. r

Other features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of three ernbodiments illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawing, in which:

. FIG. l is a longitudinal section showing the first emthird ern- `posed of two slightly arched'longitudinal cheeks 2', 2"

tapering in wedge shape from the rear towards the front and of vertically upright rectangular cross-section, a front transverse bar 3 of ilat cross-section arranged on the upper edges of the cheeksZ', 2", a similarly shaped and arranged cross or transverse bar 4 at `a distance behind the bar 3 and provided with a central narrowed portion 4' forming the axle for the eye 5 on the rear end of the closing tongue 5, and a rear transverse bar 7. `Another transverse bar 3, threaded on to the tongue 5, passed overV ICC feature which is common to all embodiments is that the twoV longitudinal cheeks 2', 2" have inwardly bent or curved portions 6 in the region of the bar 4 carrying the tongue 5, the outer edges of these curved portions being located somewhat further inwards than the inner edges of the straight portions of the longitudinal cheeks 2', 2".

In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 the frame 1 is closed at its rear end by `a transverse cross bar 7 of rectangular cross-section arranged on the upper edges of the cheeks 2', 2". A short distance in front of this rear transverse bar 7 there is an off-set transverse bar 8 of rectangular cross-section locatedjslightly below the upper edges of the cheeks 2', 2". Mounted in bores 9 in the longitudinal cheeks 2', 2" below the rear edge 0f the bar 8, there is a clamping plate 11 bent in the form of an elbow lever which is pivotally mounted by means of lateral pins 10 and which, in a position parallel to the plane of the frame 1 points towards the under sideof the bar S with its clamping edge 12, which may be serrated, in position inclining slightly in forward direction.` The clamping plate 11 can be swung downwards, its move ment being limited in this direction by a cam 13 on the inner side of the cheek 2. The cam 13 serves for holding the clamping plate 11 in open position while the strap isfbeing inserted. Another cam 14 is provided on the inner side of the cheek 2" for engaging under the clamping plate 11 when it is swung inwards. This clamping device serves for securing on the fastener the rear end 1S of the strap after it has been passed under the rear barV 7 and upwards and forwards around the bar 8 in Vfront of the bar '7 and between the bar 3 and the clampand extends with clearance under the clamping device 8 to 12 and projects slightly beyond the rearl edge of the clamping plate 11. The larger front portion Vof the guide plate 15 is curved slightly in S-shape, that is it is first bent slightly upwards and then more strongly downwards, while its rear portion is again bent slightly upwards. Two cams 18 are provided on the inner side of the cheeks 2', 2" just behind the tongue-carrying bar 4 and engage under the guideV plate 16 in such a manner that the downwardly bent portion of the plate 16 is flush with the lower edges of the cheeks 2', 2" and forms a passage of a height equal to the thickness of the strap between its upper side and the under side of the clamping plate 11 when the latterisinangular position. If somewhat stronger pressure is. exerted on the guide plate 16 from above, this overcomes the resistance of the two cams 18 and the plate canswing out in downward direction with the result that the clamping device 3 to 12 is free to be operated. The front portion 19 of the strap, after being slipped under the front the bar 4 and guided by the guide plate 16 between this plate and the clamping plateV 11 towards the rear under the rear end portion 15 of the strap, is secured vunder this rear end portion 15-and out of sight. l

vIn the case of the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4 a bar 20 of round wire is arranged behind the tongue-carrying bar 4 and behind this bar 20 and between the cheeks 2', 2" and near and parallel to the lower edge thereof a guide bar 21, while as rearmost transverse bar `a so-called resilient bar 22 is exchangeably mounted by means of its two resilient outwardly pressed pins 23 e11- J7 gaging in bores 24 in the cheeks 2', 2". This resilient bar 22 serves for receiving the closed loop of the rear portion 15 of the strap. Between this closed looped portion 15 of the strap and the wide guide bar 21 a gap is formed for introducing the front end portion 19 of the strap so that in this embodiment it comes under the rear end portion 15 of the strap.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6 the rear bar is designated by 25 and made in one piece with the fastener frame 1, a loop formed on the rear end portion 15 of the strap being sewn on this bar 26.

The front end portion 19 of the strap can easily be gripped on its longitudinal edges by two lingers engaging in the inwardly curved portions 6 of the cheeks 2', 2 and pulled forward without difficulty when it is desired to undo the fastener to remove the bracelet, wrist watch strap, belt or the like.

The above statements concerning the cross-sections are intended to mean that these are strongly rounded at least at all visible points, that is on the upper side of the fastener and at the transition points between the bars and cheeks.

What is claimed is:

1. A buckle for wristwatch straps or the like comprising:

a pair of spaced side bars;

first and second cross bars interconnecting said side bars at the opposite ends thereof;

a pivot bar substantially parallel to said cross bars interconnecting said side bars between said cross bars;

a tongue pivotally mounted on said pivot bar in order to rest on said first cross bar and to engage openings in theL strap, said second cross bar serving as an anchor for the opposite end of the strap;

guide means extending between said side bars, at

least a portion ot which is located in a plane beneath said second cross bar to direct the free end of the strap beneath said second cross bar and the anchored end of the strap, said guide means comprising a plate member pivotally mounted to said pivot bar;

and means on the inner surfaces of said side bars for releasahly holding said plate member in operative position.

2. A buckle as -dened by claim 1 in which said plate is substantially coextensive in width with the space between said side bars and extends from said pivot bar to a point beyond and below said second cross bar, said plate being bent into a substantially wave shape.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 138,487 5/73 Doughty 24-188 150,368 4/74 Spruce 24-188 157,333 12/74 Iske 24-178 331,176 11/85 Zeller 24-175 370,031 9/87 Zeller 24-178 408,035 7/89 Mann 24-188 417,638 12/89 Harmon 24--178 904,048 11/08 Comstock 24-188 1,008,165 11/11 Linderud 24-175 1,983,383 12/34 May 24-74 2,257,671 9/ 41 Buchsbaum 24-178 3,031,682 5/62 Mihalyi 24-178 3,036,352 5/ 62 Kehrer 24-178 FOREIGN PATENTS 411,236 8/ 45 Italy.

36,420 2/06 Switzerland.

DONLEY J. STOCKING, Primary Examiner. 

1. A BUCKLE FOR WRISTWATCH STRAPS OF THE LIKE COMPRISING: A PAIR OF SPACED SIDE BARS; FIRST AND SECOND CORSS BARS INTERCONNECTING SAID SIDE BARS AT THE OPPOSITE ENDS THEREOF; A PIVOT BAR SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO SAID CROSS BARS INTERCONNECTING SAID SIDE BAR BETWEEN SAID CROSS BARS; A TONGUE PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON SAID PIVOT BAR IN ORDER TO REST ON SAID FIRST CROSS BAR AND TO ENGAGE OPENINGS IN THE STRAP, SAID SECOND CROSS BAR SERVING AS AN ANCHOR FOR THE OPPOSITE END OF THE STRAP; GUIDE MEANS EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID SIDE BARS, AT LEAST A PORTION OF WHICH IS LOACTED IN A PLANE BENEATH SAID SECOND CROSS BAR TO DIRECT THE FREE END OF THE STRAP BENEATH SAID SECOND CROSS BAR AND THE ANCHORED END OF THE STRAP, SAID GUIDE MEANS COMPRISING A PLATE MEMBER PIVOTALLY MOUNTED TO SAID PIVOT BAR; AND MEANS ON THE INNER SURFACES OF SAID SIDE BARS FOR RELEASABLY HOLDING SAID PLATE MEMBER IN OPERATIVE POSITION. 